


the bet

by EvanesDust



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Bets & Wagers, Everyone Is Alive, Laura Hale Appreciation Week, M/M, Meddling Cora Hale, Meddling Laura Hale, Sibling Rivalry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2020-10-26 18:57:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20747135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvanesDust/pseuds/EvanesDust
Summary: It’s almost comical how Cora crosses her arms and steels her gaze at the men across the room. There are enough fleeting glances and casual touches to fuel several classic tropes. "Yeah, I mean, I guess you could call that flirting, but Stiles has been in love with Lydia forever, and Derek's emotionally constipated. Even if they're into each other, they'd be oblivious idiots, and we'd be the ones to have to put them out of their mutually pining misery and set them up."





	the bet

**Author's Note:**

> it's laura hale appreciation week and the theme for today is sibling rivalry and my mind immediately went 'oh look cora and laura betting to see how long stiles and derek get together!' naturally i had to go and bother [kat](https://novkat21.tumblr.com/) to help because i knew what cora wanted to say but laura was being difficult... 
> 
> thank you to some very special people who i threw this at to read because i need major validation before i post 😁 [jamie](https://jmeelee.tumblr.com/), [maëlle](https://my-son-is-dating-a-werewolf.tumblr.com/), and [misfit](https://misfitmonarchythings.tumblr.com/) (i think those are the only people i cried to... if i cried at you and forget, lemme know!)
> 
> *what even is a 'comma'? as always… all mistakes are my own*  
*also tags… tags are hard :/ so if anything is missing please lemme know*

Two hours into Lydia’s end of summer party, Laura feels a tap on her arm. It’s Cora, pointing across the yard. Following her gaze, Laura raises her hand, shielding her eyes from the blinding sun. Standing on the deck, by the snack table, are Derek and Stiles. She snorts at the younger man’s flailing, hands moving along to whatever story he’s telling.   
  
"How long until Derek kills him?" 

Laura looks back at her sister and smiles as Cora watches Stiles and Derek interact. She knows that Derek values his peace and quiet. She also knows that peace and quiet is the complete _ opposite _of everything that is Stiles Stilinski. 

Like a sixth sense, she holds her arm out to stop Cora from interfering. It’s a good thing, too, because everyone is treated to the rare sight of Derek throwing his head back and laughing. Or maybe not so rare anymore. This isn't the first occasion she's seen it happen. The more time Stiles and Derek spend together, the happier and lighter Derek has become.

"He won't," she says easily. "They'll probably get together before that ever happens."

"Get _ together_?" Cora snorts, and whispers, 'sorry' when everyone turns to look at her. 

"Them? You really think--" Cora’s cut off as Stiles trails his fingers up Derek's arm. She squawks when Derek ducks his head, hiding a shy smile in his shoulder. "No flippin’ way. Is he smiling?" There’s shock in Cora’s voice because Derek doesn't smile. He has a patent on resting bitch face.

"Yep!" Laura wraps her arm around Cora, pulling her close. "You're very observant."

"Oh shut up, I'm _ thrown _right now. Are we in a parallel dimension?" For effect, Cora spins in a circle, sniffing the air. Oh, the dog jokes that Stiles would come up with... "No, but seriously. Derek and Stiles?" 

It’s almost comical how Cora crosses her arms and steels her gaze at the men across the room. There are enough fleeting glances and casual touches to fuel several classic tropes. "Yeah, I mean, I _ guess _you could call that flirting, but Stiles has been in love with Lydia forever, and Derek's emotionally constipated. Even if they're into each other, they'd be oblivious idiots, and we'd be the ones to have to put them out of their mutually pining misery and set them up."

Laura smirks. "Most likely.” _ God_, wouldn’t that be something to watch unfold? But she loves seeing her brother happy and wouldn’t mind moving it along. “How long do you think it'll take if we help?"

Cora wags her finger. "Uh uh. No helping. I say we let this play out." She grins widely, and Laura’s almost scared of the idea forming in her head. "But let's make it fun."

Laura raises a brow. "How so?"

"We bet on it. Come on, what do you think? How long until they hook up?" Cora looks over where Derek and Stiles are both standing, hands in their pockets as they continue to steal glances at each other. "I mean, we won't be _ cruel_. I say six months. Derek's gotta work up to it cause Stiles isn't gonna say anything."

Laura scoffs, she hopes and prays that neither of them are that oblivious. "I say a month or less. Like I said, they've been hanging out a lot recently."

"Yeah, and if it's been like _ that_, they're not gonna get far..." Cora puts her hands on her hips. "But okay, _ fine_. _ Three _months. But only because they're gonna be annoying and I don't think I’ll live through the UST."

Laura giggles. "You and me both. But I still say one month."

Snorting, Cora looks back at Stiles and her brother. Her mouth drops open, and Laura feels the sting of a slap against her shoulder. "Holy shit. Lookit! Lookit!" 

Derek has Stiles pulled close, one arm looped behind Stiles's back, the other behind Stiles's head, fingers threaded through the chestnut hair. A prelude to a kiss. 

"When the _ hell _did that happen?!" Cora screeches and Laura finds herself being pulled towards them.

Stiles and Derek don’t break apart until Cora clears her throat and even Laura smirks at the sheepish looks on their faces. “Yeah, I gotta say… I might have seen this coming, but definitely not _ this _soon.”

Derek clears his throat, pulling away slightly, but still keeping an arm around Stiles. “Soon?”  
  
“Aww, Bunny, I think they’re referring to you kissing me.”  
  
“I kiss you all the time…”  
  
This time Laura’s mouth drops open. “But you— And he— _ What_?” It really shouldn’t be so shocking considering all she’s seen.  
  
“Dude, we’ve been dating for _ weeks_.” 

Cora sputters, and Laura grins, looking smug. “Totally called it.”

Cora sputters again and turns her attention to Laura. “_Excuse me_? Called what exactly? You said a month!”  
  
“Yeah and you said six!” 

“And _ then _ I said three!”

Before their argument can turn heated, a throat is cleared, and Derek has his arms crossed over his chest, one brow raised to incredible heights. “Please tell me you weren’t making bets on how long it would take for us to get together.” Laura can’t tell if Derek’s angry or resigned, which is odd. Usually she’s pretty good at reading the eyebrows. 

Both Laura and Cora open their mouths. 

“Uh…”

“Well…”

“_Yeah… _ Not cool.” Stiles shakes his head while reaching for Derek’s hand. “You two are completely out of your minds. What if we _ had _been circling around each other? Huh? Instead of coming up and talking to us, helping us realize our feelings, you’d have made this a game?”

_ Shit_. Laura hadn’t thought of that. Well, she did, but only for a second.  
  
“We’re sorry.” It’s Cora that speaks up, much to her surprise. “That was me. Laura actually wanted to do that. Get you guys together. _ I’m _ the one who wanted to see how long it would take. I mean, _ eventually, _ we would have pressed the issue cause I mean, _ come on _ , we all know I wouldn’t have been able to deal with all the sexual tension.”  
  
Derek groans like he hates his life. Or at least his sisters. “Well, you guys suck so _ thanks…_” They get a glare as Derek pulls Stiles away. 

Cora barely stifles her giggle. “Well, I’d say that worked out for the best.”

“You’re only saying that because, _ clearly, _ I would have won.” 

“How _ the hell _ do you figure that?”

Rolling her eyes, Laura states the obvious, “They were _ already _ together so it’s logical to say that if they hadn’t already started dating, they would have soon. Ergo, _ I _ win.”

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments give me life <3  
no like seriously, i’m addicted to them
> 
> i’ve got a [tumblr](http://evanesdust.tumblr.com/)


End file.
